Every Rose Has Thorns
by Lady Meleth
Summary: The Dark Lord has been defeated and Minas Tirith has been saved, but not all is peaceful. Lothiriel was left defending Dol Amroth when her father and brothers went off to war. Now, she must confront her fears and face an old enemy while the ghosts of her past threaten to engulf her. The King of Rohan rides to her aide, but will he make it in time?
1. Chapter 1

_The timeline is not perfect, but this is a fantasy story. Please be kind as this is my first fanfic story. Some details are left out as they will be explained in later chapters. Enjoy!_

Every Rose Has Thorns

Her keen eyes searched the forest for any signs of movement. She listened intently for any cracking of branches or rustling of leaves. She could hear the waves crashing on the beach near the Castle of Dol Amroth. If the enemy was going to attack, she wanted to stop them before they reached the fortress.

When her father, Imrahil, and her brothers went to the aid of Minas Tirith, Lothíriel was left in charge of the men left defending Dol Amroth. It had been a week since the siege on Minas Tirith and the Battle at the Black Gate. She had hoped for peace after fighting near constant attacks from the Corsairs for the past year. And now, they faced another wave of attacks from this foe.

She had sent a messenger to her father in The White City as soon as the scouts reported the black ships approaching Dol Amroth. The messenger still had not returned and she was beginning to despair that help would arrive in time.

She stood poised with a group of scouts straining to hear anything. She had on light armour, only a breast plate and bracers over her deep blue riding tunic. Her feet were snug in her dark grey boots. Her breast plate was also a deep blue with the emblem of Amroth, a ship in the shape of a swan sailing on the waves. She wore a cloak of the same blue hue fastened with a white swan pendant at her neck. Her locks of dark brown hair were pinned with a broach and cascaded down her back. Her eyes were the color of the sea, always changing. Sometimes they were calm and other times they were like rolling waves in a storm.

Lothíriel had her bow in hand and a quiver full of white arrows with blue edges. The quiver was white and carved in the shape of a swan with its head tucked beneath one wing. Around her waist was her sword in its sheath.

One of the scouts approached her and gave a low bow.

"My lady, we have been here since mid-day and night is nearly upon us, and we have had no word from your father."

She knew he was right and that they should return to the castle, but she was reluctant to leave. Lothíriel was about to give the command to leave when she heard the approaching sound of hooves. A messenger carrying the banner of Dol Amroth rode swiftly towards her.

"My lady, your father is unable to leave the city, but he is sending all the men he can spare. His forces will be arriving in two days' time."

"Two days? We cannot hold out that long without reinforcement."

"King Éomer of Rohan and his riders should be here by nightfall."

"How could the Rohirrim get here that quickly?"

"Your father was afraid of an attack while he was away. He sent forces ahead."

A wave of relief spread over Lothíriel. This would be the second time that Rohan had come to save her people. She reminded herself to thank the king personally when she had the chance.

"Captain Harrick?"

A young man with a deep scar on his right cheek appeared before her and bowed deeply.

"Have the men set up camp here, the knights will remain in the castle for the present time. Make sure the scouts keep close watch for the Rohirrim."

"Yes, my lady."

…..

The light was fading and the sky turned a pale pink, but there had been no sign of the Rohirrim. The castle of Dol Amroth was locked up tight, the wooden shutters were closed, and the only fire pits that were visibly lit were behind the closed doors of the fortress. In the Great Dining Hall, there was a huge fireplace with a large carved mantel. It had a tall ceiling with three intricately carved iron chandeliers hanging down. To the right of the fireplace was a door that led to the main gates through a receiving room.

At the back of the room were two large wooden doors that slid open to both sides and opened up to another hallway. Across the hallway was another great room richly adorned with carvings and tapestries. During banquets, the wooden doors were open and the guests traversed through both rooms. At the moment, the doors were shut and the Great Dining Hall was being used as a war room. A large wooden table was in the center of the room; it was cluttered with maps, scrolls, bits of parchment, and scout reports.

On the wall opposite the fireplace, was a large flag of Dol Amroth hanging on the wall. Knights clad in dark blue armour stood guard at the doors. They wore helms in the shape of swans with wings on either side. Each of the knights held a spear in their right hand.

Lothíriel stood in front of the fireplace, staring intently at the flames. The firelight danced and jumped like fire on a stormy sea. One arm lay across her body, her other arm grasped her chin as she stood in silence. The fate of her people rested heavily on her shoulders. She tried her best to hide the fear that tore at her heart. Her eyelids barely flickered at the sound of movement in the hallway. She turned her head as the door to her right clanged open.

Three men entered dressed in full battle armour. The one in the middle was one of the knights of Dol Amroth. The men on either side were dressed in dark green and brown. They had long golden hair that ran down their backs; each carried a helm under their arm. Lothíriel dropped her arms to her side and stood to face the three men. The two Men of Rohan bowed their heads slightly and she nodded to them in greeting. The knight stepped forward and gave a deep bow.

"My lady, the Riders of Rohan have set up camp alongside ours."

"Good. Where is the King?"

"He wanted to make sure that his men were settled. He will be arriving shortly. He sent two of his captains ahead of him."

Lothíriel turned to address the other two men. One of them stared intently at her, noticing the slightest tremble in her right hand.

"You are most welcome here my lords."

She turned to face her captain saying, "See that these men are taken care of, and alert me the moment King Éomer arrives."

"Yes my lady", Captain Harrick said with a deep bow.

Lothíriel turned to the three men and gave a low curtsy and the three men gave a bow. As she walked passed Captain Harrick, a flicker passed from her eyes to his. He nodded his head slightly as he signaled for the two large wooden doors to be opened and two men on either side slid them open. The knights gave a salute as Lothíriel walked through, and the doors screeched as they shut behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

_Here is the second chapter. I hope you enjoy it._

"I refuse to discuss this issue with Lord Baugdȋr anymore!"

Lothíriel raised her arms as the chainmail was slipped over her head.

Captain Harrick rubbed his forehead as he shut his eyes. The stress was beginning to show on his face, despite his youth.

"I understand, my lady, but he _asks _to speak with you."

Lothíriel's eyes narrowed as she felt the heat rush to her face.

"Then you will _ask _him to wait."

A breast plate of deep blue was securely attached to her body. The swan ship of Dol Amroth was blazoned on the front. She fidgeted slightly as two men finished fastening her armour. She had worn it before, but it seemed ten times heavier. Captain Harrick sighed deeply and said, "I will tell him, but he may not listen."

Lothíriel chuckled and said, "I am sure of that."

Her quiver and bow were lashed to her back with a dark leather strap. Her sheath was pulled tight across her hip. After her blue cloak was firmly pinned at her neck, she politely dismissed the two men.

"Once you deliver my message to Lord Baugdȋr, return to the dining hall."

"Right away."

Captain Harrick bowed and left the room.

Lying on the bench beside her was her sword and helm. The helm was made in the shape of a swan with wings jutting out on either side.

She ran her hand over it, following the curve of the swan's head that made up the nose piece. She grasped the hilt of her sword, picked it up, and swung it around her body before finally clasping it in both hands. She placed one hand on the sheath and sharply slid in the sword.

A solider entered the room and informed her that King Éomer had arrived. She picked up her heavily armoured gloves from the bench and pulled them over her hands. Picking up her helm, she placed it under her left arm and walked briskly out of the room escorted by two knights.

….

Looking over the large map, Éomer stood discussing battle strategies with his captains. Having the Rohirrim certainly boosted the number of troops, but there was no way of telling if it would be enough. The scout reports were vague as to the size of the enemy.

At that very moment, a scout came rushing into the room. He had traveled very fast and far, the stress of the journey clearly showing on his face. The message he had was urgent and Princess Lothíriel had to be informed straightaway. Captain Harrick had just returned as the large wooden doors were slung open. Lothíriel entered with two knights and was greeted by salutes from the guards.

Captain Harrick approached with a bow, "My lady."

"I hope that a previous issue has been dealt with accordingly, Captain", she said.

He arose and said, "He still requests an audience."

Her eyes widened, "I will see him later."

Lothíriel's gaze fell on Éomer and her heart began thumping wildly. How could this be possible? She had only just laid eyes on him. Trying to regain her composure, she stepped before him and bowed. Éomer greeted her in the same manner.

As she rose, she noticed his intense blue eyes watching her. His golden hair was partially pulled back and ran down his back. He looked at her and immediately became lost in the rolling waves of her eyes. Lothíriel felt that her heart just might leap out of her chest. It took everything she had to break his gaze.

"Thank you for coming so quickly, my lord", her voice trembled as she spoke.

He followed her as she moved towards the table.

"My father took the majority of our forces to Minas Tirith, and left a small force here."

"How many are left defending?"

Lothíriel swallowed hard and turned to him once again looking into his eyes.

"Three hundred men."

She quickly turned away to hide the tear that was streaming down her face. Éomer reached out and grabbed her arm slightly pulling her to face him.

"Three hundred? How could you hold out with that few?"

She whispered, "There was no way for us to hold out on our own."

Éomer's grip on her arm softened and his gaze became more intense. It was then that he noticed the helm under her left arm. She disentangled herself from his grip and handed her helm to a knight standing nearby.

The scout that had walked in earlier had been speaking to Captain Harrick in hushed tones. His face had turned white and his left hand gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.

Éomer was about to say something when Captain Harrick approached with the scout. He did not need to say anything as she saw the look on the young captain's face.

Walking over to them she said, "What's the matter, Captain?"

The three of them began to talk quietly. All of the color drained from her face and the tremble had returned in her right hand. She slowly walked over to one end of the table with Éomer watching the entire time. She placed both hands on the end of the table, gripping it tightly. She held her head down and shut her eyes tightly. Lothíriel fought very hard to keep the tears back. She knew that she had to be strong.

Éomer waited impatiently to hear what she had to say. After what seemed like an eternity, Lothíriel finally opened her eyes and looked up.

"The enemy has disembarked and they are now setting up camp", she said.

Éomer looked at her and said, "How many troops do they have?"

She turned and looked into his eyes.

"Twelve hundred, maybe two thousand men."

Éomer stared at her in disbelief. She was right; there would have been no way to stand against those odds with only three hundred men.

Lothíriel continued, "It is unclear as to the exact number since they have sunk their own ships.

Éomer walked closer to her as he said, "Why would they do that? That leaves them no route for escape."

Captain Harrick answered, "So we can't set fire to them."

"That's not the only reason they did it", Lothíriel said.

She looked at Captain Harrick and nodded. He shook his head, not wanting to believe it.

"No! That's not possible", he said.

She did not want to believe it either, but there was only one plausible answer.

Éomer spoke up, "What's going on?"

The captain was about to answer when Lothíriel held up her hand.

She addressed the nearest knight saying, "Have my father's counsel sent here immediately."

"Yes, my lady."

He bowed and left the room.

She turned back to Éomer who was still confused as to what was happening.

"You're right, my lord. Sinking their ships leave them with no retreat, because they don't plan on retreating at all. They believe that their victory is assured, which means they know how many men were left defending the city."

Éomer bowed his head as he realized the truth.

"That means someone has told them, betraying you and your people."

Lothíriel nodded and said, "Yes. And I pretty sure I know who it is."


	3. Chapter 3

_I can't believe how many people have read this story so far! If you like it, leave a review and tell me what you think. _

Lothíriel was becoming more frustrated with the counsel. They had been talking for the last half hour and still had not come to an agreement. She felt they were wasting time discussing politics while the Corsairs threatened the safety of her people.

Slamming her fist on the table she said, "Enough! The time for words is over; it's time to take action."

All of the men in the room fell silent. Éomer saw a fire burning in her eyes. Trembling, one of the counselors came forward to address Lothíriel.

"My lady", he said, "I understand you're upset, but this is not the time for rash actions."

Her eyes became engulfed in flames and her lips tightened.

She nearly spat out the words, "Rash actions!"

She walked swiftly to the window on the back wall.

Pointing to it she said, "Maybe you have forgotten, my lords, what happened a year ago right outside these walls!"

Another of the counselors stepped forward to speak.

Turing to Éomer he said, "I do not think we should be talking about this in front of…"

Lothíriel raised her hand, cutting him off.

Looking to the counselor she said, "No. I think the King of Rohan should hear this."

She turned her eyes to Éomer. Her eyes turned a dull grey and the light had gone out of them. The waves of grief in her eyes crashed and rolled, spilling onto her cheeks. Looking towards the window, she wiped away her tears.

She kept her back to the counselors as she spoke to them.

"All I ask, my lords, is that you support me in any decision I must make. I have listened to your advice this past year and have readily done everything you have asked. Once I have faced the accused, I will have you brought back in for his judgment."

She nodded to the knight standing guard at the door to her left. He escorted the counsel out of the room and into the next one. The only two people that were left in the room were Éomer and Lothíriel.

Éomer walked over to Lothíriel and gently held her arm. She looked up at him and placed her other hand on his and squeezed his hand. Letting go of his hand, she turned back to the window.

"The Corsairs began attacking a year ago. We have experienced attacks before, since we are on right next to the sea. But nothing prepared us for what happened that day."

Éomer let go of her arm and drew closer to her. Lothíriel's heart began pounding harder. Maybe it was because he was so close to her that she could hear him breathing, or because of what she had to tell him.

"My brothers and I were preparing for a hunting trip that morning. I had already gotten my quiver and bow. I remember waiting impatiently for my brothers to get ready."

The corners of her mouth turned up slightly as she recollected that memory. But the smile was soon replaced by tears that welled up in her eyes.

"At that time, Harrick was not a captain. My father promoted him because of what happened that day. If he hadn't been there, I would probably be dead."

Lothíriel could no longer hold back the tears as they streamed down her face. She didn't even try to wipe them away.

"My mother went out early that morning with her handmaiden and two guards. Since I was going hunting that day, I told my handmaiden to take some time for herself until I returned."

Éomer looked at her curiously, a woman who liked to go hunting. She saw the look on his face and nearly laughed out loud.

"I enjoy hunting with my brothers. Sometimes, we even spend two or three days in the woods. We only take bed rolls and blankets to sleep on at night. I would rather sleep under the stars then be cooped up behind these walls."

She allowed herself one more fleeting moment of reminiscing before returning back to grim reality.

"I watched my handmaiden as she walked through the gates and down the stone sea wall. That would be the last time I saw her alive."

Lothíriel paused briefly to wipe away a few tears before continuing.

"My brothers were taking far too long for me to wait inside the castle, so I decided to go outside and enjoy the view from the sea wall."

Her right hand began to tremble uncontrollably, she could not stop it. Éomer reached out and held her hand to steady it, gripping it firmly but gently. Even through her glove, holding his hand made her heart skip a beat. She hid her face as it flooded with color. She took a slow and steady breath before speaking again.

"Everything seemed normal, at first, and then…..I heard my mother screaming. She was saying, 'Don't kill her. Don't kill her. I beg you please, have mercy.' But the Corsairs didn't have mercy. They had already killed the guards and my mother's handmaiden by that time. As I looked over the sea wall, I saw my handmaiden fall dead in the sand."

She held onto Éomer's hand tighter. It had been a long time since she had talked about this with anyone. Strangely, she felt comfortable telling this man she had just met. She felt she could tell him everything, almost everything.

"Two of those horrible men had a tight grip on my mother's arms holding her back."

Her eyes blackened and the fire was back. She let go of Éomer's hand and let her arm fall to her side. She balled up her fists tightly as her body shook with rage.

"My brothers may have been shouting for me, but I didn't hear. Before I knew it, I drew my bow and shot those two men. I shouted at my mother to run as I continued to rain arrows down on the men that were pursuing her."

She looked at him, "I was blind to everything around me except my mother. She was running for the castle as fast as she could. I didn't even notice the arrows that went passed me head."

"You were very brave, then", Éomer said.

"No, I was being foolish. I should've rushed back into the castle. And a few guards tried to pull me back including Harrick. Have you noticed the scar on the right side of his face?"

"Yes, I did."

"He followed me as I raced towards my mother, I was afraid she wouldn't make it. And she didn't. I had almost reached her, when she was shot in the back with an arrow. That only made me run towards her even faster. I caught her as she fell to the ground and she died in my arms. It was only then that I looked up to see Harrick fighting off the Corsairs even though there was blood coming from his face. I quickly got up and Harrick was able to get me to safety."

Lothíriel saw what she hoped was a look of disappointment in Éomer's eyes. Was he jealous of Captain Harrick? This was too much; she covered her mouth to stifle a giggle. She cleared her throat and tried very hard not to smile as to give herself away.

She said slyly, "Of course, after that there was vicious gossip going around that there was something between me and Captain Harrick. Some people even spoke of wedding bells."

She saw Éomer nearly choke. He looked at her with a hint of mischievousness in his eyes.

"It was nothing more than that, vicious gossip", she said coolly.

He looked at her with raised eyebrows and a sly grin. She snapped back to reality as she heard the sound of heavy armour and spears clanging in the hallway.

"That'll be the guards. I won't leave myself completely defenseless. Captain Harrick will be along with the one in question soon."

Éomer quickly walked to her side his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Where do you need me?"

"You don't have to stand that close, just don't go too far", she said.

"Don't worry, I won't"

She couldn't be sure if he was being serious or flirting with her. Right now, she had more important things to worry about.

"Lord Baugdȋr will finally be getting his audience with me. He'll be getting a lot more than he bargained for."


	4. Chapter 4

_Here is the next chapter! This one took awhile to write. I hope you enjoy!_

The air was heavy in the great hall, and it weighed down on everyone. No one else felt it as much as Lothíriel. She knew the guards were loyal and Éomer was nearby to protect her if anything should happen. But she felt her stomach churning and came close to being sick a few times. Just when she thought she couldn't bear the anticipation anymore, Captain Harrick arrived.

"My lady, Lord Baugdȋr is here", he said.

"Show him in", she said.

Captain Harrick left through the back door of the hall. Lothíriel took a moment to steady herself; there was no backing out now. A man in his mid-forties flounced into the room. His expensive clothing and prideful air made his features all the more grotesque than they were. He had black, vacant eyes that sent a chill down Lothíriel's back.

He bowed before her and held out his hand to accept hers. She fought back the bile that was in her throat as she reluctantly extended her hand. She felt her skin crawl through her glove as he took her hand and kissed it hard. Éomer's grip on his sword tightened. Lothíriel pulled her hand from Baugdȋr's grasp and stood near Éomer.

Getting to his feet he said, "If it is possible, my lady, you have grown even more beautiful since last we met."

"I find it interesting that you can fawn over me, but you fail to notice that you are in the presence of a king", Lothíriel said curtly.

A look of confusion crossed Baugdȋr's face. In his arrogance, he had not even seen Éomer as he had entered the room. With an upturned nose, Baugdȋr saw the King of Rohan for the first time.

With a look of disgust he said, "King? King of what?"

Lothíriel held out her hand, preventing Éomer from drawing his sword.

She said through gritted teeth, "This is King Éomer of Rohan, and I expect you to show him the respect he deserves."

Baugdȋr's eyes became pitch black as he hastily bowed before Éomer.

"Forgive me, _my lord_, I am grateful for what you have done for _my _people", he said bitterly.

Lothíriel spoke first before Éomer had time to respond, fearing that it might lead to bloodshed right there.

"Yes, we are extremely grateful for all the help he has given us."

Turning to Éomer she said, "As you may have guessed, I intend to lead the forces of Amroth. Will you fight beside me as you fought beside my father and brothers on the fields of Pelennor?"

Outraged, Baugdír sidestepped in front of Éomer and stood only an inch or two from Lothíriel.

"You cannot be serious", he said, "a mere woman leading an army!"

Éomer grabbed his shirt and said, "And you will not come near her again!"

Baugdȋr spat on his boots and said, "How dare you lay a hand on me, you filthy barbarian!"

Éomer growled as he threw Baugdȋr to the ground. He drew his sword and placed it at his throat. Acting quickly, Lothíriel motioned for the guards then, she placed her hand on Éomer's hand as he gripped his sword. Clearing her throat, she spoke calming words in Rohirric. She said each word slowly and carefully as she had a heavy Westron accent. Éomer loosened his grip on his sword and pulled it away from Baugdȋr's throat. The guards took a hold of Baugdȋr, preventing him from wriggling out of their reach.

Éomer turned to Lothȋriel, his blue eyes shimmering as she continued to speak. He responded to her and the two of them conversed in Rohirric for a few minutes. She let go of his hand and he put away his sword. Lothíriel turned to the door at the back of the room and nodded to the guard. He opened the door and went into the next room. Baugdȋr struggled to free himself from the two guards.

Addressing Lothíriel, "What right do you have to hold me? Have I committed any crimes?"

"You have not been accused of any crimes…"

He grinned and said, "Then have the guards release me."

"I was not finished, do not interrupt me again", she said.

The grin on Baugdȋr's face became a grimace. The guard returned to the room along with Captain Harrick and the counsel.

"You have not been accused of any crimes yet, my lord", she said.

Lothíriel went over to the large dining table where the counsel now stood. They talked in hushed tones, pointing now and then to some pieces of paper on the table. She looked to each counselor and each in turn nodded in agreement.

Lothíriel turned to Baugdȋr and said, "After the attack a year ago that killed my mother, my father and his counsel decided to take certain precautions to protect the line of succession…"

"I don't see how that has anything to do with me", Baugdȋr spat.

Lothíriel glared at him and said, "I have warned you once not to interrupt me and I will not stand for it again!"

She continued, "My father knew that the battle would soon come to Minas Tirith, and he knew there would be no way to prevent the youngest of my brothers, Amrothos, from riding with them. That would leave me as the only descendant of Imrahil who would be capable of commanding the forces here."

One of the counselors spoke up, "There is another, and your father wanted to make sure that he was safe."

"Yes. My nephew but he is only two years of age. The council agreed to name me commander if my father and brothers went to war. When they rode for Minas Tirith, there was little hope they would return alive."

A quiet hush fell over the room; no one dared to speak a word. Lothíriel gazed into each and every face; there was fear and worry in their eyes. Her eyes turned to Baugdȋr, struggling to get free from the guards. His eyes were cold and empty; there was no emotion in them.

"You asked what crimes you have been accused of, and I will state them now. By our laws, there must be absolute proof to be found guilty. Some of that proof will come from the counselors themselves; the ones you tried to pay off", Lothíriel said.

Baugdȋr said through gritted teeth, "All lies! I never…"

She continued, "And that falls under the heading of attempted bribery. Not to mention the stocks of food you have horded away for yourself."

Lothíriel glared at Baugdȋr, daring him to speak again.

"Along with the horded supplies, you have yet to come forth with your sword to fight in battle."

"My lady, please…" Baugdȋr begged.

Counting off on her fingers she said, "That is attempted bribery, extortion, failure to supply necessities, failure to render aide, and breaking your oath to your lord and prince."

Baugdȋr pleaded, "My lady, please have mercy."

Lothíriel started to tremble with anger all over her body. Her eyes were full of fire, and she pressed her lips into a fine line. She gripped the hilt of her sword as she tried to regain control. She mumbled something softly but no one could hear what she said.

"Have mercy", she whispered.

She spoke louder, "Have mercy on you."

Lothíriel slowly relaxed the tight grip on her sword and let go. She would not let this man get the better of her.

"You have already been shown mercy. Now, onto the most serious crimes you have committed. You are now charged with plotting assassination and with treason."

Baugdȋr desperately tried to free himself from the hands of the two guards that held him. Lothíriel signaled to a guard who brought forth a set of metal irons. Baugdȋr's eyes widened as the guard stepped forward to place them on his hands. He struggled free from the guards and approached Lothíriel. Baugdȋr stopped short when he found Éomer's sword blocking his path.

Falling to his knees before Lothíriel he said, "My lady, when have I been disloyal to you or your father? I have always been a willing servant."

Lothíriel scoffed, "A willing servant to Dol Amroth or to someone else, perhaps the Dark Lord Sauron himself?"

A gasp of shock went around the room. Distracted, Éomer lowered his sword and looked at Lothíriel. Quickly, Baugdȋr pulled the hidden dagger from his belt, stabbed the nearest guard, and taking the guard's sword lunged at Lothíriel. Éomer saw the commotion from the corner of his eye and turned to intercept Baugdȋr.

Before Éomer could reach his target, Lothíriel had drawn her sword from its sheath. Swinging the sword through the air, she blocked several blows from Baugdȋr. He stepped backwards, trying to avoid her. She slashed his right hand, causing him to drop his sword. He instinctively moved his left hand to his injured hand, dropping his dagger in the process. Still holding his bleeding hand, Baugdȋr backed into the wall.

Several guards took up position around Lothíriel with their swords drawn on Baugdȋr.

With her sword poised, Lothíriel said, "Bad move, Baugdȋr. You forget that I was trained in the art of sword fighting by Captain Hirvegil himself."

Baugdȋr's eyes widened as he hurriedly tried to seek a way out of this mess. He watched as two men tended to the wounded guard. Lothíriel looked away for a fleeting moment to instruct the two men to get the wounded man to a healer. Baugdȋr seizing this last chance carefully slid his left hand behind his back. His actions went unnoticed by the guards as he reached for another dagger.

With and evil smirk he said, "Of course. Hirvegil, meaning 'sword master'. I am told he is an excellent teacher."

Baugdȋr slid his left hand holding the dagger to his side. All he needed was to get close enough.

Looking at him, Lothíriel said, "Yes, he is a very good teacher. I am very glad that he survived the siege at Minas Tirith."

She noticed his left hand without raising any suspicion. Slowly, she inched her free hand beneath her cloak. Lothíriel had to keep him distracted so he wouldn't see.

Narrowing her eyes she said, "I remember the first lesson he taught me. He told me to 'expect the unexpected'."

She was so close to reaching it, only another inch or two. He was about to make his move, she had to hurry. Her searching hand finally grasped the hilt of her dagger. Lothíriel pulled it quietly from its sheath, trying not to make a sound.

"That's good advice, too bad you didn't take that lesson to heart", Baugdȋr taunted.

In a blind rage, he came at her with the dagger. Wielding sword and dagger, Lothíriel challenged his charge. She drove him back towards the wall, placing her dagger at his left wrist pinning it there. With Lothíriel's sword as his throat, Baugdȋr dropped his weapon.

Moving her dagger to his throat Lothíriel said, "One more move like that and you're as good as dead."

Keeping her eyes on Baugdȋr, Lothíriel spoke to the guards nearby.

She said, "Clap him in irons and see to his wounds. I would hate for the accused to bleed to death before the council could pass judgment on him."

With the dagger still at his throat, Baudȋr swallowed nervously.


	5. Chapter 5

Clapped in irons, Baugdȋr was firmly held by the two guards that stood next to him. There were more guards surrounding Lothíriel to ensure her safety. Éomer was nearby gritting his teeth as he stared at Baugdȋr in irons. He certainly was not going to allow this wretched man to get near Lothíriel again.

Lothíriel was reading the letter that was in her hand. Having finished reading the letter, she let her hand fall to her side with the letter held firmly in her grasp. Baugdȋr was straining to make out the seal on the outside of the letter. Just as he caught a glimpse of it, Lothíriel moved the letter out of view.

Facing Baugdȋr she said, "I have proof that you planned to kill Lady Glìneth, wife of Elphir, and their son, Alphros. And just a few moments ago, you tried to kill me."

Baugdȋr opened his mouth to speak only to find a sword at his throat.

Lothíriel continued, "You underestimated your loyal servant when you sent him here to the castle over a year ago. He is loyal, but not to you. To be quite honest, he's terrified of you. Thankfully, he's more terrified of what might've happened and decided to speak up."

"He told my father every scheme you had planned and that he didn't want to be a part of it. He also spoke about how you terrorized your own servants, including him. Most of them are scared to come near you."

Baugdȋr wanted desperately to speak but the sword was still at his throat. Lothíriel motioned for the guard to lower the sword.

"I will allow you this one chance to speak, to defend yourself", she said.

With a smirk he said, "How can you trust the word of just one servant? That's not enough to convict me."

"Maybe not, but your letters don't lie", Lothíriel said.

Lothíriel held up the letter that was in her hand. Baugdȋr now recognized the seal on the outside of the letter, it was his seal.

Holding the letter, Lothíriel said, "You wrote this to your servant here in the castle, and he in turn gave it to my father. It says here, 'once Glìneth and her son are disposed of, we will be ready for the next stage.' You did write this, because your signature is on it."

Baugdȋr's face turned stark white and he fell silent, there was no hiding his involvement now.

Lothíriel continued, "You have betrayed us by sharing information with the enemy. Because of your actions, my mother along with four other people died. Now, those same enemies are at our doorstep. And I have your letters that confirms your dealings with the Corsairs."

Baugdȋr, still in irons, struggled to get free and the guards immediately encircled him with their spears. Unsheathing his sword, Éomer rushed to Lothíriel's side. Baugdȋr slunk back and remained still. Lothíriel raised her hand in front of Éomer's sword. She looked to him and nodded, he backed away with his sword still in hand.

Turning to Baugdȋr she said, "My father and the counsel agree that you have been found guilty of all crimes stated, and you will be punished according to our laws."

She paused as one of the counselors approached with a sealed scroll. Lothíriel broke the seal and unrolled it.

Holding the scroll she said, "This scroll was signed and sealed by my father and I will read it thus,

'I, Imrahil, Prince of Dol Amroth hereby pass judgment on the accused, formerly known as Lord Baugdȋr. For his crimes, he is stripped of all positions, titles, and lands which will be given to someone more deserving. For the crime of treason, he is sentenced to death. The execution shall be carried out by my eldest son upon his arrival at Dol Amroth.' This was delivered by a messenger a few days ago."

She rolled up the scroll and handed it back to the counselor. As the guards began to drag Baugdȋr away, he twisted and turned in their grasp. He dug his heels in the floor causing the guards to strain in their efforts. More guards appeared, one of them was carrying another set of iron chains.

Even with several guards restraining him, Baugdȋr was still flopping around like a fish out of water. They lifted him up slightly so the chains could be slid on his ankles. Once the chains were secured, they set him upright and continued to drag him away.

With his chains jangling, he said, "I will get free and when I do, I will kill all those who stood in my way. And I will start with the _swan-princess _first."

Enraged, Lothíriel drew her sword and stood within a foot of Baugdȋr. She raised and placed it near his throat.

Narrowing her eyes she said, "Swan-princess I may be, but I am no mere woman. I am the daughter of Imrahil, and I do not take threats lightly. If we do meet in battle, I can assure you that I will not go down without a fight."

Speaking to the guards, she said, "Get him out of my sight!"

Lothíriel put away her sword as the guards began to drag Baugȋr out of the room. She turned her back to him, ignoring the threats that he was still yelling. She was trying very hard to hide the fear that spread through her body. Lothíriel's right hand began to shake again and she quickly crossed her arms to hide it. Éomer noticed and walked over to stand beside her. Baugdȋr was dragged out of the room and the door was slammed shut. Lothíriel shut her eyes hard and only jumped a little at the sound of the door.

"Put away your sword, my lord, there is no use for it here", Lothíriel said softly.

Putting away his sword Éomer said, "Do you really think he is capable of escaping?"

She chuckled, "He is capable of anything."

Smiling slightly he said, "I do not doubt that."

"It's only a matter of time before he does escape. If he is true to his word, he will leave Lady Glìneth and my nephew alone and come straight for me. But, I've taken certain precautions just in case his plan changes."

She motioned for Captain Harrick to approach.

"I have told my sister-in-law to remain under guard when I leave. I have also asked her to bar the door with her son inside of their room. I have given the guards instructions not to open the door unless under my authority or one my brothers", she said.

Standing before her Captain Harrick said, "Remember, my lady, what you promised your nephew. He will not soon forget."

Sighing deeply she said, "Yes of course. Once Baugdȋr is safely out of the way, I will see them. I can only hope the battle goes well, but I must be prepared for the worst."

Éomer watched as tears ran down her face. She quickly pulled a handkerchief that was tucked into her right sleeve and began wiping them away.

"I do not want Alphros to see that I've been crying. He was crying when his father and uncles left, and he will be upset that I am leaving."

Éomer placed a reassuring hand on Lothíriel's shoulder and gently squeezed her arm. As she looked at him, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly. He let go of her shoulder and she looked away. Lothíriel would have a lot of goodbyes to say before the evening was out.


End file.
